Science Education Center

Abha Singh, Ph.D.

Dr. Abha Singh earned her MS and Ph.D. degrees majoring in Science Education and minoring in Environment Science and Gifted Education from the University of Iowa, Iowa City. Her areas of specialization are in Elementary and Middle School Science Education.Her dissertation title is "Professional Development and Perspectives of Science Teachers: An extracurricular science program for gifted middle school students". She serves as assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the area of science education at Western Illinois University Macomb campus since August 2008.

Dr. Singh has presented at State, National and International Conferences.Her latest research was a collaborative effort documenting weekly reflective journaling by in-service teachers to be a means of initiating practice of "consistent reflection of teaching" as a best teaching practice by the teacher through the practicum experience.Other presentations were Curriculum Innovation through the Practicum Experience and Professional Development: A recipe for Excellence which focused on encouraging teachers to use differentiation in teaching science to highly able science students presented at the Iowa Talented and Gifted conference.Her involvement has also been as a judge/evaluator for Iowa's State Convention for Invent Iowa for the past four years for the Invention ideas presented by elementary and middle school students from Iowa's school district. Her involvement with the teachers of Iowa earning a Talented and Gifted Endorsement was through teaching a couple of courses in the area of science content and the practicum.

Dr. Singh taught in an American International School (K-12) before pursuing doctoral studies in science education in Iowa. She was teaching upper elementary and middle school students science in the Himalayas using the outdoors for field trips for the appropriate content areas. While teaching at the school, she also coached students in athletics, badminton and field hockey.